Friday, March 9, 2012

Wow! I can't believe the co-incidence!

To put it another way, I can't believe my GOOD LUCK!~   Usually this kind of story ends differently.  Here's the long of it....

Daughter C had been commenting off and on for a long time (like, for only almost a YEAR) on a huge piece of metal - literally a whole sheet of metal roofing - hanging over an extremely high branch of a very tall Pine tree, since the tornadoes of April 27.  I had always missed it, however - focusing instead on the narrow and sharp curve of the road right around that spot.  Recently I decided I HAD to see this very great piece of metal.  After seeing it, I also decided it was worthy enough to be photographed.

So, after several drive-bys (it takes me several ADD influenced drive-bys to get anything done, you see), I finally stopped in someone's driveway (thank you, people), and took about 3 photos of the metal (February 20). (Side-note: The first of these photos is from the passenger seat, since I was a passenger at the time....Feb 18) {Extra juicy side-note:  Unfortunately my camera was dropped onto the road at one point about a month ago - yes, by ME,  - which caused its auto-focus to be pretty much non-functional, or shall we say "moodily functional". This means that in the future, you will see some photos in focus and others euphemistically "misty" or "ephemeral".}

Then we had tornadoes again - well, not exactly HERE, but we had very high winds - and guess what?  A couple days later, we looked for the metal and - and -  it was GONE!!  Yes, those winds had knocked it down and I HAD THE PHOTOS!   YAY, oh YAY, oh YAY.    So now, after all that schpiel (you had to know the whole story, didn't you?) here are the two sets of photos (yes, after a few more drive-bys I finally got the "empty tree" photos! - March 7) and you can see for yourself the amazing phenomenon-of-interest in this fascinating saga!

Feb. 18.  There she is!  (this is actually from a "drive-by" shot - passenger seat, OK?)

Close-up to see the hugeness of this metal sheet (Feb. 20)

From a distance you can see the height of the trees - yes, tornado winds are STRONG!!

Here are the same trees barely a week or two later! (Mar 7)

The metal is gone.

Another close-up.  No metal!

So don't give up, all you rootin', tootin' cowboys, -  because once in a while, fair luck doth smile on ye and ye can bask in the satisfaction of beating the odds  -  for a change!

So why was I in Eastgate?

I am now officially a student again - taking the Clinical Medical Assistant course!  Yes, Ma'am - and it's 9 weeks of academics, 6 weeks practical and I'll be AT YOU with needle in hand, ready to SET YOU STRAIGHT!   "This is a test of the emergency broadcast system.  In the case of an ACTUAL emergency, I will NOT give you time to escape.  You are now forewarned.....!"

Our new friend

Our teacher, Ms H, can't believe how smart we are!

"No, I'm NOT a crazy woman, why do you ask?"

Friday, March 2, 2012

De Ja Vu - MORE tornadoes??

 Another round of wild and crazy storms is passing through - lightning flashing everywhere....so far we've missed any damage....but not so Ooltewah, Cleveland (again) and other local places - I think 4 confirmed touch-downs (later: I think final count is 6) with lots of damage and more than a dozen people taken to area hospitals.  Brother G and wife are traveling down from Indiana today....or are they?  I can't imagine them traveling along with the storms, and I-24 East and West blocked and backed up due to huge powerlines across the road....We shall see. (later:  yes, they were west of the storms and saw lots of damage, especially in Indiana, got stuck on the freeway for an hour or so, etc...)

I thank God for sparing me today too - was driving home on I-75 from downtown (Eastgate) with the storm pretty much chasing me all the way home.  Don't tell anyone, but I was seriously breaking all speed records! (I'll let you know WHY I was at Eastgate in a future post).  I had to do a lot of Scripture quoting to calm down - but it worked - trust in the Lord!

Here are some photos of today's damage taken by various people - they're not mine at all:

Uh-oh, I think we'd better turn around! (Notice how the cloud looks green)

I presume these lines are "dead"! 

Is this the truck I passed just a few minutes before?  Guess not.

Several houses were moved off their foundations.

The boat marina suffered heavy damage.

Hold it RIGHT there, buster!

Definitely de ja vu   -   sigh.....a lot of clean-up in our collective future.

hmmm, a neat little problem to solve....

This looks like April 27!

And this too.  This is over by Harrison Bay/Tucker Rd.
Here's more in a link to nooga.com:

Better Tornado photos

An entry in Facebook by the Open House Volunteers.  It seems like more houses were destroyed than I thought!
At least 30 homes destroyed in Hamilton County. Volunteers organizing chain saw gangs and aid distribution. Watch site for opportunities. Lowes sending supplies overnight. Doug Walter
Later from the Chattanoogan.com: 
This too shall pass!  So it's 3 for 3 now (an inside joke....)!!

We saw and heard that Calhoun,TN was getting hammered and clobbered by this storm and downtown CHA was getting golf-ball sized hail.  Ouch! The hail below was in Ooltewah.

Ooltewah Walmart parking lot (taken by a friend)
This is funny-looking snow....oh, wait......

If you want to see how Apison is getting all rebuilt from LAST year, check out this video:

Update video on tornado repairs...

Praying for safety...for us and all others who have to face the brunt of this line of storms unprotected!

On a different note yet, we celebrated an 11 year milestone today!  Made those cupcakes in icecream cones!  The kids enjoyed them at school - but then they were let out early due to the storms....oh well!

A memorable day, yes!

Friday, February 17, 2012

Benefits of vegetarianism

In case you were considering becoming a vegetarian, listen to this testimony.  I think this will convince you that there are definite benefits to a vegetarian diet.

"A Cheesy Story"

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Colonial Fair comes to town

Well, not really.  The 5th graders put it on from our own local elementary school.  Here is a video of it: (actually 2 versions now! Take your pick)

Colonial Fair, full version


5th Graders' Colonial Fair

Rather long, but fun if you know the kids.

Pathfinder Sabbath

Someone just sent me a link to the Pathfinder Sabbath performance of first service (we had 3 today!).  Here it is:

You are my all in all/Fairest Lord Jesus

I think the 3rd service was the best of all though - due a lot in part to the congregation participation, which was enthusiastic and heartfelt. I hope I can find someone who taped that one.

Enjoy.

Monday, January 30, 2012

Off to Pathfinder Camp

Here are some pics of the pathfinders getting ready to leave for camp.  It started drizzling shortly after this so not many pics.  We should have sent the camera with C over the w/e!  Apparently they had a wild and wonderful time!




Some Friends

Falling in....but the rain is starting!

Some local Tennessee land

Pics of fields and trees...

Frosty








Frost poking through the soil


The greenhouses going up


Wet weather wash (WWW)



Plastic over one frame or so.

Lots of cedar trees

Saturday, January 28, 2012

More on Daniel 11

The following is a summary of a handout given us by the presenter, Tim Roosenberg.  He has a website which has more information on this: IslamandChristianity.org.  I believe he may be changing the website so I'll keep you updated if and when this URL becomes outdated.

OK, so back to business.  (Since I'm basically a lazy resourceful, ingenious, efficient person, I've decided to take a photo of each page and put each one here.  Then you can click on it to enlarge and actually read it yourself!)     {Later:  Oh blogspot, what art thou doing now?  No enlarging??}

As I may have said before, in no way, in any modern day reference are individuals referred to as "evil".  He is talking about the religio-political "systems", not individuals.

Here's a summary of the page shown below:  The first part of Dan. 11 starts at the kingdom of Persia.  As you may know, Dan 2, 7 and 8 explain the sequence of coming kingdoms starting at Babylon.  The reason this chapter starts at Medo/Persia is because Babylon is already no more in Dan 11. All the kings of the north attack Jerusalem from the north, even if they exist to the east or west. In this part of Daniel 11, until v. 25, the king of the south is Egypt for the most part.

The first three quarters or more, of Daniel 11 has already occurred (for us in the 21st Century) so these are historical facts for us.  For Daniel and the people in the 6th or 7th century B.C, they had not yet occurred.  So for us, the book is "unsealed" as we look back on historical fact and match up the events. 






Here we see reference to Antiochus III (Antiochus the Great).  Many might think he is the fulfillment of the little horn of Daniel  8 but he doesn't fit there - in time, place or character.  You'll see further on in Daniel 11 who the little horn is. 



In verse 22, reference is made to Jesus who is the "prince of the covenant" - see Dan 9:25.  (In fact, Daniel 9:24-27 is a prophecy of Jesus, the coming Messiah.) In this section of Dan.11, the kingdom of the north becomes religio-political - pagan Rome becomes papal Rome.  The king of the south now enters its Islamic phase.




Entering the pre-reformation and reformation part of history.   This would be in the 1500's to 1600's I suppose.





 Now we enter the "time of the end" - starting in the mid 1840's.  The third "woe" is yet to happen.  I imagine some think or thought it could be the attack on America on Sep/11/01.  I suppose it could be that but the way it's described, it might be much bigger.  Verse 41 says many countries shall be overthrown.  So perhaps this hasn't happened yet.



The "news from the east" is that of Jesus' soon coming.  That infuriates the devil who attacks with greater vehemence than before (through his agencies).  We know it's the time of the end because as it continues into chapter 12 (no chapter distinctions in the original language). Michael "stands up" - remember, he sat down (to judge) in Dan 7:9,10 - so His work as judge of the saints (Dan 7:22) has ended and it's time for them to possess the kingdom.  The 7 last plagues fall, causing a terrible time of trouble.  Then the two resurrections occur (each separated by 1000 years as described in Rev. 20 {eg:v.6} ).

May we all be found ready for Jesus' return and if we die before then, that we will be raised in the first resurrection, never to die again!  Right now, death is still our enemy -  death is the last enemy to be destroyed/conquered. (1 Cor. 15:26) and it won't be destroyed until there is death no more - that means at the end of the 1000 years. 

Praise God for the prophecies of the Bible and the hope we are given!  (And I also praise God there is no eternally burning hell to torture people forever!)

Here is a lecture on the King of the North:

http://amazingdiscoveries.tv/media/1165/273-the-king-of-the-north-part-2/